Thursday, January 18, 2018

#VH CITY GUIDE: AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam is a capital of Netherlands and you might know it because of its many things which the city is famous for: their waffles, many beautiful canals, colurful tulips, wooden shoes, a lot of museums or the Red Light District. The Dutch capital in which live about 600 000 people is definitely worth the visit. If you are planing a trip there I would like to help you around with this post which is highlighting my personal favourites of the city when it comes to sightseeing, eating, shopping or the Insta-picture-spots!Hlavní město Nizozemí, Amsterdam, je oblíbenou turistikou destinací. Mšsto je známé pro mnoho věcí - a't už to jsou holandské wafle, vodní kanály, dřeváky, tulipány nebo Red Light District, Amsterdam je městem mnoha chutí a rozhodně má co nabídnout. Pokud se i Vy do Amsterdamu chystáte, chtěla bych Vám v tomto postu představit pár míst, které se mně osobně líbila a která bych mohla doporučit - tak doufám, že někomu z Vás článek třeba pomůže!

SIGHTSEEING

Rijksmuseum: Rijksmuseum is the biggest museum in Netherlands and it is definitely something worth seeing. In the house you can find over 200 rooms showcasing the Dutch history and art, including many famous paintings, statues and books. As a bonus there is the famous "Amsterdam" sign in front of the building and in winter you can also find there an ice rink! It is openedevery day from 9 till 17!Canal Tours:Amsterdam is famous for many things but I think one of the things which identify the city is the famous canals. If you are coming to the capital of Netherlands, you should definitely take a boats tour on the canals and see them from a different perspective. There are many ways you can do this: from a typical boat side with a guide over a dinner boat to renting a boat yourself. For me, the prettiest canals were Prinsengracht and Kaizersgracht!Flower Market:Another famous spot in the city is the "Bloemenmarkt", a popular flower market located directly in the city center (Singel 630 to 600). In this small area you can find countless types of flowers, including tulips, roses, narcissus, geraniums and many many more. The Market is opened from 9 till 17:30 from Monday till Saturday and on Sundays it's from 11:30 till 17:30! Vondelpark:If you are looking for a place to walk at, to run at or simply just relax at, you should definitely visit the "Central Park" of Amsterdam - the Vodelpark. In this are you can find a lot of nature, lakes, banks and even places to eat at!Van Gogh Museum: If you are interested in art, you shouldn't miss the Van Gogh museum showing the artist's pantings and art. You can visit the museum everyday from 9 till 17, except for Friday when the opening hours are 10 till 22.Adam Lookout: One of the tallest building in the city is the "Adam" - a viewpoint where you can see the whole city, relax or even get a drink. They are opened daily from 10:30 until 21.Anne Frank House: Another museum I have to mention is the Anne Frank House - the house where she was hiding together with her family. Inside you can see the house, original writings and photographs. The opening hours are 10 to 20 except Saturday 9 to 22 and Sunday 9 to 19.

PLACE TO STAY

This time we chose the 5-star hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam as our home away from home. The hotel is actually connected 26 houses together and thanks to this the hotel is overlooking 2 beautiful canals: the Prinsengracht and the Kaizergracht. In the hotel you can find 225 rooms, many meeting rooms, 2 beautfiul restaurants and a bar. He had a breakfast at their Jansz and it was really delicious. If you will have a chance to visit this hotel, you definitely have to try the Egg Brioche - scrambled eggs with avocado and truffle butter. It was something very special and super-delicious. I would also like to highlight the friendly stuff who even bought for me - I mean JUST FOR ME - a lactose-free milk which was the first time something like this happened. Their service is amazing and even though the hotel is really luxurious, it feels also cozy, homy and casual. Definitely can recommend this place shall you visit the city!

FOOD & DRINKS

Janzs: As mentioned in the previous part, the hotel restaurant Janzs was really outstanding to me! They don't serve only breakfast, you can also eat a delicious lunch or dinner there! The whole setting of the restaurant is really nice as well.Nooch: One of the nights we tried the Asian place called Nooch and it was really, really good. The serve a lot of Asian dishes, including sushi, Pho bo, noodles or rice! The place is usually booked out, so I highly recommend you to make a reservation in case you would like to try it. Pulitzer Bar: Another place in our hotel which I really liked was the Bar. The place is stylish and serves really delicious and good-looking cocktails. Of course, you can find there a big selection of drinks and also small bites to eat as well!Foodhallen: If you are looking for some street food, you have to try out the Foodhallen. In this place you can find several stands with many types of street food, including waffles, ice cream, burgers, Asian cuisine and much much more!Dolce & Gelato: I cannot even count how many of you asked me where I got the waffles on the first pictures. We got them at a chain called Dolce & Gelato that has several stores in the city. Besides waffles you can also get there some ice cream, churros, cupcakes and other sweets!Corner Bakery Amsterdam: Another "sweets" place to mention is the Corner Bakery Amsterdam which is a cute cafe with the best monster milkshakes in the town! If you crave for one, you should definitely visit this one!

SHOPPING

Hoofstaat: If you are for luxury shopping, you should go to the "Hoofstraat" where you can find many luxurious stores, including brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton or Prada. It is also just a few minutes away from the Reijksmuseum!

De Bijenkorf: In case you prefer shopping inside, you should visit a department store called De Bijenkorf. In the house you can find both men and women clothes, shoes, accessories, home department, a restaurant and much much more. In the store you can also find many luxurious brands (Fendi, Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chloé, etc.) but also some high street ones!

Adiuvantes:A concept store to mention is a place called Adiuvantes where you can find several international brands. In the store you cannot only shop clothes and other accessories, but also cute things like books, candles or cosmetics!

Kalverstaat: If you are looking for more affordable brands, then go to the street called Kalverstaat. Topshop, River Island, Zara, Topman, Mango and all the other stores can be found here!